This invention relates to an ice-making and fresh water dispensing apparatus having both the function of making ice and the function of making fresh or pure water free of contaminants.
The process of making fresh water by first preparing contaminant-free ice by virtue of the freezing point difference between the pure water and contaminants contained in the starting water to be frozen into ice, and by melting the ice into fresh water, is called the freezing method and is applied to fresh water dispensing apparatusses.
More particularly, such a fresh water dispending apparatus is so designed that at least a part of the ice made by the ice-making section is melted at a heater and the fresh water thus obtained is stored in a storage section. However, warming the water may cause proliferation of bacteria and render the water unfit for drinking.
Moreover, when the supply of water from the ice-making section is in excess of the demand for fresh water, the excess fresh water has to be discarded, which means wasting fresh water.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an ice-making and fresh water dispensing apparatus, wherein fresh water is always maintained at a temperature fit for drinking, e.g. in the range of 0.degree. to 10.degree. C., and stored in a moderate volume for more economic consumption of the fresh water.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel ice-making and fresh water dispensing apparatus that may be optionally employed as an ice maker, fresh water dispenser, or ice-maker and fresh water dispenser.